Legislative Update

Legislative E-Update - Happy Thanksgiving

Dear Neighbors and Friends,

Thanksgiving is a time we share a meal and celebrate with our friends and family. This year as I reconnect with loved ones, I will reflect about the values that are important to our community and what makes Minnesota such a special place to live.

I’m thankful for everything that our great state has to offer, but I am also looking toward the work that is still unfinished. We must strive to raise wages, because too many people are working two or three jobs and are still struggling to make ends meet. Families are being forced to choose between a paycheck and caring for a loved one. Too many teachers are forced to spend their own earnings on supplies for their classrooms. The gentle souls that care for Minnesota’s aging population and our most vulnerable citizens are underpaid and many can’t afford to continue their important work. College costs continue to rise, and more and more it looks like the pursuit of additional education and career training is out of reach for too many. We continue to face the challenge of too many people not able to afford a safe place to sleep at night. It is clear we have a lot of unfinished business to ensure that all families have a fair shot at success.

With that thought, if you’re planning to do any post-Thanksgiving shopping, please consider shopping locally at small businesses. These unique shops help our neighborhoods thrive and help the owners share in the American Dream. Money spent at small businesses, on products made locally, or even on a meal from a local restaurant, stays in our economy longer and is a bigger boost to Minnesota than dollars spent elsewhere